Navigating Water Wars: India's Interlink Rivers Challenge

The Jal Shakti ministry has highlighted the arduous task of building consensus among states for the interlinking of rivers (ILR) programme, citing significant concerns over water-sharing as a primary obstacle.

In a statement to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary emphasized the critical role of inter-state agreements in the success of ILR projects, noting the prioritization of five out of 30 identified link projects. Among them, the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is actively underway, promising irrigation, drinking water, and energy solutions to Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Additionally, the Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link project and the Godavari-Cauvery link are poised to transform water distribution and resource management, contingent on overcoming inter-state hesitations and ratifying drafts like the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for collaborative execution.

(With inputs from agencies.)